Garment treating devices



May 30, 1961 H. J. PETZOLD ElAL GARMENT TREATING DEVICES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 28, 1956 mm JLLJ INVENTORS Howard J. Petzold Edward P. Hancock ATTORNEY May 30, 1961 H. .1. PETZOLD EIAL GARMENT TREATING DEVICES Filed Sept. 28, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Howard J. Petzold Edward P. Hancock ATTORNEY Fig.3,

y 1961 H. J. PETZOLD ETA]. 7 2,986,312

GARMENT TREATING DEVICES Filed Sept. 28, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F lg. 5

Fig.6

INVENTORS Howard J. Pefzold Edward P. Hancock ATTORNEY States r GARMENT TREATING DEVICES Howard J. Petzold and Edward P. Hancock, Garland,

Tex., assignors to Intercontinental Manufacturing Company, Inc., Garland, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Sept. 28, 1956, Ser. No. 612,730 Claims. (Cl. 223-70) This invention relates to a garment treating device and more particularly to a device for treating garments supported on a form with steam and hot air to remove wrinkles therefrom and to a collapsible bag used as a form for use with the garment treating device.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved garment treating or refreshing device having a form on which the garment to be refinished is disposed and having means for introducing steam and heated air into the form to treat the garment with steam to remove the wrinkles and then with heated air to remove excess moisture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device, of

the type described above, wherein means are provided for' introducing steam and hot air simultaneously into the form in order that the increased volume of hot air may cause rapid and thorough penetration of the garment with moisture or steam.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described above having a blower means for forcing air past a heat exchanger whereby it is heated and into the open lower end of the form and having means disposed within the form for introducing steam into the bag.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described above wherein no valves or dampers are needed to prevent the backward flow of steam toward the blower means.

Another object is to provide a device, of the type described above, having control means for initially introducing both steam and air simultaneously into the bag for a predetermined period of time and then introducing only heated air into the bag.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved form including a collapsible bag for use in garment treating, refinishing or refreshing devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved collapsible bag for garment refinishing or refreshing devices which is supportable at its upper end to hang freely therefrom and 'is provided with an open lower end into which steamor air may be introduced.

Still another objectis to provide a collapsible bag, of the type describedabove, having a plurality of vertically spaced means intermediate its upper and lower ends for drawing intermediate portions of the bag towards each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible bag, of the type described above, wherein the means for drawing the intermediate portions of the bag toward each other are actuated by gravity.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible bag, of the typedescribed above, having a mass secured to the interior of the bag at a plurality of peripherally spaced points along the interior of the bag.

' Afurther object of theinvention is to provide a collapsible. bag, of the type described above, wherein'the gravity actuated means includes'a' plurality of weights 2,986,312 Patented May 30, 1961 2 secured to theinterior of the bag at peripherally spaced points along a horizontal plane of the bag.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved garment treating and refreshing device having a collapsible bag or shroud to be enclosed and having means for introducing steam and heated air into the collapsible bag to stretch the garment into a smooth condition and simultaneously treat the garment with steam to remove the wrinkles therein and then with heated air to remove excess moisture.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible bag of the type described above whichis formed of steam and air permeable material.

Still another object of the invention, is to provide a collapsible bag, of the type described above, having a .plurality of vertically spaced means intermediate its upper and lower ends for yieldingly restraining outward or ex panding movement of the bag toward expanded condition.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a' collapsible bag, of the type described above, wherein the means for yieldably restraining intermediate portions of the bag from outward movement are gravity actuated.

A still further object-of the invention is to provide 'a' collapsible bag, of the'type described above, wherein the means for yieldably restraining intermediate portions of the bag from movement toward expanded positions are,

disposed completely within the bag and are supported thereby.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a garment refinishing or refreshing device embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the device shown in Figure 1 with some parts shown in section;

Figure 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig ure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig ure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 ure 2;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view of the rotatable bagsupporting means, with the bag removed.

I Figure 8 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the electrical control circuit of the garment refinishing orre freshing device; and, 7

Figure 9 is a fragmentary enlarged view of a bag show-. ing a modified form of the means for yieldably restraining intermediate portions of the bag. 1 V

Referring now to the drawing the garment refinishing. or refreshing machine 20 includes a base housing 21 onf which is mounted a form supporting means or frame 22. The housing 21 is provided with a vertical wall 23 hav ing a single open side 24 into which extends the outlet 25 of a blower 26. The outlet duct 25 is sccured'to' the wall 21 in any suitable manner as by rivets or screws 26. A transverse bafiie 27 extends from the top plate 2 8' of the housing, to which it may be secured by any suit-' able means, as by welding, to direct the flow of air from the blower past a heat exchanger 30 extending trans-' versely across the housing and directly in front of the lower portion of the blower outlet 25. The top plate of Fig;

28 of the housing has a peripheral down turned outer5- central vertical aperture 33 defined by a downwardly turned annular flange 34. A partition 40 divides the housing 21 into an upper compartment 41 and a lower compartment 42 The upper partition 40 has lateral upturned flanges 43 which abut the wall 23 of "the base housing and are secured thereto by any suitable means as by spot welding. The partition 40 has a lowermost horizontal portion 44 disposed immediately below the heat exchanger 30, an upwardly extending forward portion 45 which extends from the bottomportion 44 to an intermediate horizontal portion, 46, and a rearwardly and upwardly extending portion 47 which extends from the horizontal portion 46'. i l I It will thus be apparent that any air blown by the blower 26 through its outlet will flow past the heat exchanger and be diverted upwardlyby the forward portion of the partition 40 through the upper compartrnent 41 of the housing and thence upwardly through the aperture 33 of the top plate 28 of the housing. A steam chest 50 is mounted on the intermediate horizontal portion 46 of the housing partition and in turn supports a steam housing 51. A conduit 52 is rigidly connected to the steam housing 51 and its lower end comunicates with the interior of the steam housing. The conduit 52 is provided with a plurality of lateral apertures 53 through which steam may escape into a steam diffuser 54 mounted on the steam conduit.

The upper end of the steam conduit is closed and has a vertical extension 54a on which telescopes rotatably the hollow lower end of a support member 55 on whose upper end is mounted the form supporting frame 22. The form supporting frame 22 is mounted on the support 55 and includes a neck portion 57 which is adapted to extend upwa ly throughthe upper opening. 58 of the form 59, and members 60 and 61 which are connected at intermediate points by a pair of rigidifying braces 62 and whose lower ends are connected to an annular member 63 which is disposed above and outwardly of the central aperture 33 of the housing 21. It will thus be apparent that the bag supporting means 22 is rotatable about a vertical axis defined by the support member 55.

A pair of oppositely disposed garment clamps and 71, aligned with thelower portions of the dependent members 60. and 61, are mounted in the usual manner on'the annular member 63 by means of levers 7 2 and 73, respectively, which are pivotally securedto the .an-

nular member 63 at diametrically opposed points at its periphery. The garment clamp 70 is mounted on. its lever 72by means of a leaf spring,73 whose lower end is rigidly secured to the lever 72in the usual manner as by welding, rivets, or screws, and whose upper end is provided with a link 75. The upstanding lug 76 of vthe garment clamp 70 is pivotally connected to the link by means of a bolt 76. The lever may beheld in any one of several adjusted positions by means of a.

ratchet mechanism, not shown,which is operated by the handle 77 pivotally secured to the lever 70. The garment clamp 71 is also provided with an upstanding lug 80 whose upper end is pivotally secured by a pin 82 to a link 81 of a leaf spring 83 whose lower .end is rigidly secured to lever 73. by screws, weldingor in any other suitable manner. The lever 73 is similarly pro-. vided with a ratchet mechanism, not shown, which is operated by a handle 84 to position the clamp in any one of several adjusted positions relative to its co-acting dependent member 61. Itwill be apparent that thelower. portions of the collapsible bag 59 are disposed between the dependent members 60 and 61 and between thev garment clamps 70 and 7 1.

The lower endof the collapsible bag is provided with a drawstring 85 whereby the lower end of the bag-may be" held. disposed about the annular member 63, the drawstring being disposed between the two external ver-t tically spaced flanges 86 and 87 of theannular. member? Steam isintroduced into the steam. chamben, 501mm.

any suitable source of steam, such as a boiler, through a fitting 90, mounted on the wall 23 of the base housing 21 by a suitable lock nut 91, and a pipe 92 having one end connected to the fitting 91 and the other to the steam chamber. The steam chamber 50 has two outlets 93 and 94. The outlet 93 is connected to one end 95 of the heat exchanger 30 through a pipe 96 and one of whose ends is connected to the outlet 93 through a suitable fitting 97 and the other of whose ends is connected to the inlet end 95 of the heat exchanger 30 by a fitting or coupling 98.

The heat exchanger is in the form of a conduit having a plurality of heat radiating fins 99. The other end 100 of the heat exchanger 30 is connected to a water trap 101 mounted on the housing 21 and provided with a suitable drain, not shown. The excess steam escapes from the water trap 101 through the conduit 102 which may in turn be vented to the atmosphere orto any other steam utilizing device.

It will thus be apparent that whenever steam is admitted to the device through the steam inlet fitting 90, seam will fiow into the steam chest 50 and from the steam chest through the heat exchanger. The steam being at a high temperature, raises the temperature of the steam chest and of the steam housing 51 mounted on top thereof as well as the temperature of the heat exchanger. Thus when the blower 26 moves air into the compartment 24 of the housing 20 the air passes by the heat exchanger 30 and is heated thereby.

The outer outlet 94 of the steam chest 50 is connected to the steam housing 51 by means of the pipe 105 one of whose ends is connected to the outlet 94 by the fitting 106 and the other of whose ends is connected to a coupling 107 through interconnecting pipe 107a, a normally closed valve 108 which is operated by a solenoid 109a and whose inlet is connected to the outlet of the coupling 107, a pipe 1 10 having one end connected to the outlet of the valve 108 and the other end connected to an elbow 112, and a pipe 113 one of whose ends is connected to the inlet 1140f the steam housing 115 by a fitting 116 and the other of whose ends is connected to the elbow 112 by the fitting 117.

Since the conduit 52 provides an outlet to the steam housing S l, steam will flow from the steam chest into the steam housing and thence to the steam difiuser 54 through the conduit 52 and its apertures 53 whenever the solenoid 109a is energized to open the valve 108.

The blower 26 is driven by an electric motor 120 which is mounted on the blower housing and connected to the shaft 121 thereof by a suitable belt 122 and pulleys 123 and 124 transmission.

The operation of the blower motor 120 and the solenoid 109a are controlled by a switch a, which may be operated by a suitable foot operated pedal 131. The switch 130a when it is moved to the position wherein it engages the contacts 132a and 132b connects both the solenoid 109a and the blower motor 120, and timer device 133a across a source of current 134a. When the switch 130a is in the position wherein it engages the contacts 132a and 132b, current flows from one side of the source 134a through the conductor 135a, the switch 130a, theconductor 135b, the switch 136a which is closed by the timer device 133a, the conductor 137a, the solenoid 109a and the conductor 138a to the other side of the source o'fcurrent'134a. Simultaneously, current flows through the timer device 133a through the conductors 135b, 140a and 141' which connect the timer device 133a across the source of current 134a through the switch 130a. The timer device is of any suitable conventional type which, when energized, closes the switch-136a for a predetermined period of time and after thisperiod of timeelapses, opens the-switch.

The-blower motor 120 is also simultaneouslyenergized by current flowing from. one side of the source. of 1 elec-. tricc'urrent 134a-thrpugh theconducton 135a, the switch,

130a, the conductor 142d, .the conductor 1434,1116 conductor, 144a and the conductor 138d to the other 'side of the source of current 134a. It will now be apparent that when the machine isfin operation with properly heated steam flowing in through the fitting90 from a suitable source of steam, movement ofthe switch 130a to the position wherein it engages the contacts 132d and 132b will cause the solenoid 109a to be energized'to open the valve 108 whereby steam will flow from the steam chest 50 to the steam housing 51 and thence through the steam diffuser 54 into the collapsible bag 59. Simultaneously, the blower motor 120 will'be energized and will cause the blower 26 to move air into the compartment 24 of the base housing past the heat exchanger 30, whereby heated air is forced into the lower open end of the bag 59 where it commingles with the steam escaping from the steam diffuser 54 and, since the bag 59 is formed of a fabric which is permeable to steam and air, it forces the steam through the bag and through a garment which may be disposed on the bag. The mixture of hot air and steam continues to flow into the collapsible bag until the predetermined period of time elapses and the timer device 133a opens the switch 136a. The solenoid 109a will now be de-energized and steam will no longer flow into the bag 59 since de-energization of the solenoid 109a causes the valve 108 to close. The blower motor 120, however, will remain energized as long as the switch 130a is in the position where it engages the contacts 132a and 13211. Hot air only now flows into the bag 59 and the hot air flows outwardly through the air permeable bag and to and through the garment which had previously been moistened by the steam. The blower motor 120 will continue to operate forcing hot air into the bag 59 as long as the switch 130a is in the position wherein it engages the contacts 132a and 13%. When the garment processing operation is finished the switch 130a is moved back to its intermediate off position. p v

The switch 130a may also be moved to engage a contact 146a to connect the blower motor 120 only across the source of current 134a when the switch 130a ,is in the position where it engages the contact 146a. Current flows-through the blower motor 120, through the conductor 135a, the switch 130a, the conductor 143a, the conductor 144a and the conductor 13811 to the other side of the source of current 134a. Thus, if it is desired to force only hot air into the bag and through the garment which may be disposed'thereon, the switch 130a may be moved to engage the contact 146a. The blower motor 120 will then remain energized until the switch is again moved to its intermediate off position.

It will be seen now that a new and improved device for refinishing or refreshing garments has been provided which includes a form or collapsible bag formed of steam and air permeable material which is rotatably mounted on a housing for rotation about a vertical axis and which is adapted to have disposed about it a garment which is to be treated with steam and hot air. It will also be apparent that the form or collapsible bag 59 has an open lower end through which hot air may be forced into the form and that a steam diffusing means is mounted within the form or collapsible bag through which steam may be introduced into the collapsible bag. It will also be apparent that steam and hot air may simultaneously be admitted into the form whereby the greater velocity and pressure of the hot air may be availed of to cause the steam to be carried to all portions of the form and thence to the garment carried thereby and be forced through the garment to more effectively refinish or refresh the garment.

It will also be apparent that the volume of steam required to be introduced into the form or collapsible bag is effectively decreased since the hot air which is available in much greater volume is made use of to cause the steam to penetrate through the garment.

It will also be apparent that a control means has been provided which insures that both steam and hot air are admitted to the interior of the form or collapsible bag for apre-determined period of time which may be pie-set by use of a conventional timer motor and that after the pre-determined period of time only hot air will be introduced into the form or collapsible bag whereby'the garment after being treated with steam is dried off by the hot air. I; It will also be apparent that the garment treating device has no valves or dampers for closing the base hou s ing aperture 33 since the blower 26 always operates whenever steam is introduced into the form 59 so that the steam is never allowed'to flow downwardly into the'compartment 41 of the base housing.

It will also be apparent that, due to the provision of the blower which operates whenever steam is being introduced into the form, all of the steam which is liberated within the form is caused to move outwardly through the form into the garment which is to be treated thereby.

If desired, the timer device 133a may be disconnected and the switch 136a placed in permanently closed position so that both steam and air will be introduced into the bagaslong as the switch a engages the contacts 132a and 13% and only air will be introduced when the switch 130a engages its contact 146a.

The form 59 is in the form of a bag whose upper end is provided with a small aperture 58 through which the neck portion 57 of the form support may extend and has shoulder portions 130 which rest on suitable shoulder members of the form support 22. The form 59 is provided with a lateral opening or slit which is closed by a zipper 132 whereby access'may be had to the interior of the bag adjacent the upper end thereof and for steaming of coat sleeves of the garment if so desired. Opening of the zippers allows steam to travel into coat arms. The lower end of the bag is open and, as was previously described, is provided with a drawstring 85 which may e'xtend through a suitable hem, formed by upturning the lower end of the bag and sewing it to an intermediate portion of the bag adjacent the lower end thereof, by means of which it may be secured against upward movement to the annular member 63 of the form support. Since the steam andhot air which are introduced into the bag may be under considerable pressure which could injure garments by causing the bag 59 to expand to too great an extent, and in order that the bag may be collapsed whenever it is desired to remove a garment therefrom, the bag is provided with a plurality of yieldably restraining means in the form of weights 135 which tend to hold intermediate portions of the bag against outward movement. v

Each of the weights 135 may be in the form of a paii' of half rings 136 and 137, pivotally secured together at diametrically opposed points, by pins 138. Each weight 135 is secured to an endless horizontal flexible strip 140, sewn to the interior of the collapsible bag, by a plurality of flexible members 144 which extend radially from the weights and are secured at opposite ends to the strip 140 and to the weight. The provision of a pair of half rings rather than a full ring permits the strips 140 to assume elliptical shapes, if this is required by the shape of the garment being treated, rather than being restricted to circular forms. It will be apparent that the half rings may pivot downwardly about their pivot pins 138 to permit opposite horizontal portions of the bag adjacent the garment clamps to move toward each other while the portions opposite the pins 138 are moving outwardly. Thus the bag 59 may conform to the elliptical shape of a garment carried by it while at the same time the weights 135 yieldably restrain the bag from unduly great expansive forces which could damage the garment.

The form or bag 59 is also provided with a drawstring 142 which is disposed in a flexible annular tube 143- secured to the interior of the bag, as by sewing, the free ends of the drawstring 142 extending from the endless tube 143 through an aperture 145 in the tube and to the exterior of the device through an aperture 146 in the annular member 63. The lower end of the bag may thus be held in a partially collapsed position by pulling the free ends of the drawstring during steaming and drying operation. This is desirable in some instances where the garment is very delicate and cannot be subjected to any expanding forces.

Figure 9 illustrates a modified form of the yieldable restraining means which includes a plurality of weights 150 each of which is separately suspended from thestrips 140 by means of flexible members 151 and 152 whose upper ends are secured to the strip. The weights 150 are circumferentially spaced inside the bag and tend to pull the bag together along the horizontal intermediate portions defined by the strips 140.

It will now be seen that a form 59 has been shown and described which is in the form of a collapsible bag which is adapted to be suspended from its upper shoulder portions on a support mounted on a base housing and that hot air and steam may be introduced from the basehousing into the bag to expand it and the garment carried by it. It will also be seen that the collapsible bag is provided at one intermediate portion at least with means for yieldably restraining the bag from outward movement toward expanded position. It will also be apparent that the restraining means comprises a weight or weights whereby the restraining means are gravity actuated and that the restraining means operate automatically and are wholly contained within the garment form or bag and require no external control means. It will also be seen that the weight or mass is adjustable automatically to adjust the bag to the shape of the garment being treated by it.

It will be apparent that various changes in the construction of the device can be made without departing from the invention and it is intended, therefore, to cover in the appended claims all such changes or modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device of the type described comprising a gas permeable form having an open lower end, means for introducing steam and heated air simultaneously into the form, said form being suspended from its upper portion and being laterally collapsible, and means disposed in said form for yieldably restraining said 'form from expanding, said restraining means comprising an annular member and a plurality of flexible means circumferentially spaced about said annular member and extending radially to the form for suspending said annular member on saidform.

2. A device of the type described comprising a gas permeable form havingan open lower end, means for introducing steam and heated air simultaneously into the form,

said .form being suspended from its upper portion and ,form forsuspending said annular member on said form,

said annular member comprising a pair of arcuate sections pivotally connected at adjoining ends.

3. A form for treating garments comprising a collapsible bag having means at its upper end for engaging a supporting means whereby the bag may be suspended, said bag having an open lower end; and a mass in said bag suspended from an intermediate portion of the bag by a plurality of flexible members connected to the intermediate portion at circumferentially spaced points of the bag.

4. A form for treating garments comprising a collapsible bag having means at its upper end for engaging a supporting means whereby the bag may be suspended, said bag having an open lower end; and a mass in said bag .suspended from an intermediate portion of the bag by a plurality of flexible members connected to the intermediate portion at circumferentially spaced points of the bag, said mass having an annular form.

5. A form for treating garments comprising a collapsible bag having means at its upper end for engaging a supporting means whereby the bag may be suspended, said bag having an open lower end; and a mass in said bag suspended from an intermediate .portion of the bag by a plurality of flexible members connected to the intermediate portion .at circumferentially spaced points of the bag, said mass comprising a pair of arcuate sections pivotally connected at adjacent ends.

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